Do You Have Burnout? It's Been Linked to Irregular Heartbeats

Psychologist Herbert Freudenberger is credited with first using the term ‘burnout’. He described it as “the extinction of motivation or incentive”.

It’s now a medically recognised condition by the World Health Organisation, described as “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”.

Medical director of Healthspan Dr. Sarah Brewer says: “Essentially, it’s a state of extreme emotion, physical and mental exhaustion associated with excessive, prolonged stress in which you feel overwhelmed and so empty and drained that you are unable to keep meeting these constant demands and are unable to do your job effectively.”

Millen’s first tip for avoiding burnout is watching what you eat.

“Increase your calories!” she says. “Most people I see are not eating enough and they are over-exercising. Please remember that food is energy!”

Next, it’s worth thinking about how much sleep you’re getting. “You need to be getting at least eight hours a night to function properly,” Millen advises.

She also advocates meditation and supplements to help manage your stress levels, as well as what she describes as “productive rest”. This is taking “10 mins in the morning or in the evening take yourself away and lie down to do some deep breathing and switch off your mind.

“Our minds are constantly busy and naturally tend to overthink. By taking 10 each day and just breathing out slowly it actually lowers the stress hormone cortisol,” she says.